The Lady and The Tyto part 1
by guardian401
Summary: Soren takes Rapunzel to the Island of Ga'Hoole where the legendary the Guardian live. She'll explore and learn the cultures of the Great Tree. Rapunzel goes into another adventure joining with the two magpies Trader Mags and her apprentice Bubbles. Travel to other kingdoms with some new adventures and discoveries. Meeting new friends and old acquaintance.
1. Chapter 1

Hello. I'm guardian 401 the writer of Dreams that make us who we are. Here to bring this new story The Lady and The Tyto. Enjoy.

Chapter One: The trance of the Mirror Lakes

Once there was a young barn owl flying over the land of Tyto forest and on his back is a girl with a long golden hair. Their names were Soren and Rapunzel. When these two first met in the top of the mountain and learned about one another, they became friends.

Soren flies straight to the north which is the direction leads to the Sea of Hoolemere and in the middle lies beyond is where the island of Ga'Hoole is there. Rapunzel was so excited to see the Great Tree. Wondering what she'll do when she gets there, meeting owls living in the Tree and the legendary the Guardians, and the king and the queen of Ga'Hoole. There are so many things Rapunzel couldn't possibly wait.

"Soren," said Rapunzel "how long when we get there?"

"Oh, Rapunzel, we're not close to leave Tyto Forest." said Soren "It might be in a while. First, we have to get pass the Beaks."

"The Beak?" said Rapunzel with a curious tone "That's an odd name for a land."

"Well, it gets its name by the beak-like rock shaped spires"

"Oh. But at least I get to look around your home land." Rapunzel look all around the forest until she spotted all the trees over the waterfall were burned and charred. In her thoughts "Huh, I wonder who lived there."

The young barn owl turned his eyes away from that tree a shatter dwelling inside his gizzard. In the past a daymare that would never goes away. Not long ago, he and his band Gylfie, Digger and Twilight fly to his homeland, to see his family and thought they were there and would be glad see him. A blind snake Mrs. P Soren's nest-maid was inside the great gray owl's lute along the trip.

But when they flew over the waterfall, Soren's eyes wide and what he saw as the sun came out from the clouds of smoke the rest of forest trees were all burn. As if some fire came and burned every tree around far as his eyes could see. When he got to his home and went inside the hollow, and looked around. Mrs. P became astounded and wondered what of happen here. All was nothing, except a sparks of fire floating, cracking noises from the wooden floor and branches, the treetop was charred and has been spilt on the right side. Everything was destroyed, his family was nowhere to be found inside the hollow. And he thought they were killed in the fire. The young barn owl saw a owlipoppen that belonged to his little sister Eglantine, he grabbed the owlipoppen into his left talon, held it up and at looked at it then puts it down sadness in his heart. Thought he had lost his own family and don't know where they could be. The blind snake stare at him and said nothing, all was silence in the burned hollow. But then, the young elf owl came forward, looked straight to young barn owl's face and spoke "We're each other family now. We'll find them together." She gave a smile. And for that, those words helped Soren and realized these three owls are his family that gave him hope and they will help him find his family and then left the burned tree. Soon after the battle between the Pure Ones and the Guardians was over and returning to the Great Tree, he and family have now reunited. His friends are always there for him. But memories will never be forgotten Soren was born in that tree and this forest will always be his home.

In mid-afternoon, the two travelers have reached to the kingdom of tall towering and rocky pillars known as the Beaks. Rapunzel was stunned it looked different in the Tyto Forest. There were lakes everywhere in this land reflecting the trees, the ground, the sky and them.

"This place looks so beautiful all those lakes down there. Can we take a quick stop here?"

"Oh, I don't know, Rapunzel" said Soren feeling little worried.

"Please, Soren please" said Rapunzel "It will only be a moment." She shows the young barn owl the pleading look with her green eyes.

"All right" said the young barn owl "But just for a moment."

Rapunzel smiled

Soren flew down and landed on the grassy glade next to the lake. Rapunzel jump off the young barn owl's back, walked towards the lake and look at her reflection. The water of the lake is so clear and perfectly beautiful as if it can tell is like a mirror. Rapunzel set her frying pan down and drank the water of the lake, and looked all around the land how it would be wonderful to live such amazing place. She turned to Soren, the young barn owl was acting so strangely that Rapunzel didn't notice before. The young barn owl stares at the lake for quite some time looking at his reflection and the beauty of the lake.

"We should stay here." He said talking in slow.

"I'm glad you like this place," said Rapunzel walked towards him "but shouldn't we go and continue on flying."

But Soren didn't response to her. The young barn owl was still looking at the lake. Rapunzel began to worry and said "Soren, are you okay? You seem I dunno know, not quite yourself. Is something wrong?"

"Nothing seems wrong about me. Will you just look at me in the lake I look so absolutely amazing. And isn't this lake beautiful?"

"Well, it's a beautiful lake and you are amazing. I think." said Rapunzel "But we must go. It's getting late." She looked at the sun. It was setting down behind the rocky spires. "Let's go."

Soren didn't move not even an inch as if he turned into stone still staring at the lake and said: "I don't wanna leave. I want to stay here **forever****."**

"Oh, dear." said Rapunzel even more worried "Soren, what's gotten into you? Answer me." Rapunzel drops her frying pan, hold both her hands on the young barn owl's head, turn him away from the lake and shakes him "Come on, snap out of it" She slaps Soren with her right hand. Then the young barn owl came to his senses when he felt the pain on his left feather cheek.

"Oww," cried Soren.

"Sorry, about that." said Rapunzel "But it was the only way. You were acting so strange."

"What happen?"

"What happen was you were looking at that lake for a minute. Then you said things like how amazing how you're feathers look and how beautiful the lake was which I agree. But then you were saying you wanted to stay here forever, I became worried. As if suddenly you were gone from the inside."

"I see." Soren replied "This must be a mirror lake."

Rapunzel raise one eyebrow never heard of that name "Mirror what?"

"A mirror lake it's a clear lake that can reflect the sky with a surrounding perfectly like a mirror. But it is dangerous very dangerous," said the young barn owl with a serious tone, turning away from the lake. "There's a Legend, it said if any owl like myself look in at this lake. Will lose in vain and not ever want to leave. It may look like an ordinary lake but it has a magic spell that makes any owls' gizzards hard as stone and forget what life could be more important without the lake. Some sort of hypnotic trance. And it's not the only one there's dozens of them around in this land."

Rapunzel was shocked and said "Gosh, then we better go and leave now."

"Couldn't agree with you more." said Soren "Hop on." Rapunzel grabbed her frying pan, climbed up on the young barn owl's back. Soren took off and flew in the air away from the lake, avoid looking down of any mirror lakes. Rapunzel look back and turned away from it. She apologized again to the young barn owl and didn't know that lake was evil. But Soren forgave her. Telling Rapunzel it was all right. And so, the two travelers continue on to the north.

At night time came moon rose up stars appear in the night sky. Rapunzel looked at the stars all twinkling and bright. How pretty they are. She absolutely loves the sights of those stars. But suddenly, Rapunzel began to yawn and felt tired. Her left hand was hurting from holding her frying pan, she puts it on her other hand. But then she almost slipped from Soren's back. The young barn owl quickly lowers his body down so that Rapunzel can climb up.

"Are you all right up there, Rapunzel?"

"Yes." Said Rapunzel

"Oh, good" Soren sighed "You got to be more careful you could of slip and fell."

"Right." said Rapunzel

"Hmm. Maybe we should stop and rest for the night." Soren spotted a tall pine tree. He flew towards it and perched on the tree branch. This is new for Rapunzel because she has never slept on the tree before. And how hard the branch was, this will be discomforting to her but Rapunzel didn't mind and sat on and notice there's a brown shaped cone hanging attached to the pine tree and there's more of them. Rapunzel ask "Soren, what are those?"

"Oh, they're called pine cones."

"Pine cones?"

"The pine cones," said Soren "are seeds of the pine trees."

"Oh, neat." said Rapunzel looking excited "Maybe, these cones are good for decoration with. I'll paint them in different colors and make them look pretty." She stood up and tried to pick one of the pine cones, but the hard wooden stem of it were too thick for her to pluck. Rapunzel fell down on the branch and said "On second thought I'll leave it." (It's different now that she's small and not big enough to pluck the pine cone). Rapunzel sat down next to Soren and look at the landscape of the Beaks. She turned to the young barn owl and he too was looking at the land as well. Then Soren said "I'll go hunting for food. Be right back." The young barn owl left off the tree branch, flapping his wings, hovered up the air and fly away. Rapunzel waited for Soren to return. She waited, and waited and waited. Minutes turn to hours. She was starting to worry that Soren might fly off and leave her here on the top of the tree like last time when she was with the other barn owl back on Tyto Forest. Soon Soren returned from his hunting and brought a vole for dinner. Rapunzel's face turned sickening white, as she looked at the dead vole. The young barn owl can see her face disgusted by the prey and ask if she wanted some. Rapunzel shakes her head and turn away while Soren ate his prey whole.

After that, the young barn owl didn't want his new friend to starved so he goes out and search for food that's right for Rapunzel. At the corner of his eye he spots a tree full of red apples. The young barn owl looked to see switch apples but their too big for Rapunzel to bite on. Then he sees an apple that was small and it is just right for his friend. Soren use both of his talons and plucked the small apple, hold it and fly back to the pine tree where Rapunzel was.

"I'm back and brought something for you to eat," said Soren giving Rapunzel a small apple.

"Thanks." said Rapunzel. She took a bite of the small apple. Once she finished the apple she threw the core all the way down to the ground and said "Well, that apple was delicious." Rapunzel yawned and said "Goodnight, Soren." She lies down on the tree branch and close her eyes went to sleep. Soren is nocturnal he wasn't tried but the young barn owl assist to sleep for a minute.

"Goodnight, Rapunzel."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: Mob of Crows

Rapunzel woke up when something hit on her shoulder. She turn her head and it was Soren. He told her it's time to get up and start the journey at midnight. Rapunzel got up and climbed on the young barn owl's back. Soren lift off the tree branch and fly in the sky. Rapunzel yawned and said "Oh, I'm glad. I never though sleeping on a tree branch can be so uncomfortable."

The sun rose at dawn, the two travelers fly through the tall rocky towers. Seem like they have been flying for a while, Rapunzel look down and noticed something dreadful.

"Soren, look down there," said Rapunzel, uses her finger to show the young barn owl "what I'm pointing."

Soren looked down. On the Westside of the Beaks he saw a group of crows mobbing a barred owl. The barred owl was fighting the crows all of her own protecting her owlet who was inside the hollow hiding. Rapunzel couldn't bear this neither can Soren. The young barn owl soars down and attack one of the crows. Rapunzel jumped off from Soren's back and landed on the tree branch next to the mother barred owl. She wrapped, tied around the frying pan to her hair ends, hold with one hand to the long hair and the other of her left hand holds the ends. She starts swinging her hair ends around like a rope. Then fling her frying pan directly at the crow and hit it in the head. The crow fell down. She fling again and whacked another one then another and then another till all the crows fell down. Rapunzel was quite proud of herself. Three crows flew towards Soren and try to attack him. But the young barn owl dodged and grabbed one of them, went into a midair backflip, tossed it, flies after the crow and slashed it with his talons. Then Soren rashly hovered up the tree, flew downwards and plunge attacked the other crow above. He goes after the last one and double slashed its neck and chest. The crow fell swirling down as it died. There was no enemy left.

"Boy," Rapunzel sighed "That was experience for me." She untied her frying pan, then turned to the mother barred owl who step back and made in a defensive position. Rapunzel can see this mother barred owl's reaction. She was terrified and have been fighting off the crows by herself. And thought of Rapunzel as a threat to her owlet. Rapunzel stepped forward to the mother barred owl and said "It's all right. We mean you no harm. I'm a friend." But the mother barred owl didn't budge and without hesitation she hissed at her. Rapunzel steps back giving the mother barred owl some space, until Soren steps in and whispered to her "I'll handle this." The young barn owl faced the mother barred owl.

"Ma'am, if you please," said Soren politely "like my friend said we don't mean to harm you or your owlet. We will leave." Rapunzel climbed on his back was ready to take off.

The mother barred owl seems to respond and see they're no threat. Then she spoke "Oh, wait forgive me for hissing. My name is Alvana."

"I'm Soren and this is my friend Rapunzel."

"Hello," said Rapunzel smiling.

"Hello, Soren and Rapunzel," said the mother barred owl.

"Alvana," said Soren "can you tell us why those crows were mobbing you?"

"Well, I don't know exactly," said Alvana "I was going out for a hunt when these crows came out of nowhere and attack me for no reason."

"I know what you mean," said Rapunzel remembered she was too mob by crow at Tyto Forest.

"My mate is away, gone out hunting. While I was taking care of my daughter."

"Oh." said Rapunzel curiously. She look over her left sees a little fluffy baby barred owlet that was hiding in the hollow "Aw, she's adorable."

"Thank you. Her name is Vora and she's just already passed her first downy ceremony. (Which means the feathers sprout from the owlets' skin) "And now she is going to have her first meat ceremony. Eating meat for the first time. As soon as my mate comes back with the food."

"Hi, there little Vora," Rapunzel waved and smiled at the baby barred owlet "I'm Rapunzel." The baby barred owl put her head out of the hollow and looked at Rapunzel with her amber eyes.

"I think she likes you, Rapunzel."

"I think so too," said Rapunzel. As she turned to Soren for a second, then something pull her hair "Oooww, unh!" Rapunzel cried out in pain. It kept on pulling and pulling her hair. Then she said "Who's pulling my hair!"

"I think I know who," said Soren. He gestured with his right wing "It's her."

Rapunzel turned and it was the baby barred owl pulling her hair.

"Oh, dear," said the mother barred owl "Vora, sweetie, let go of Rapunzel's hair." Alvana tried to pull the golden hair from the owlet's mouth with her talon "It's not nice to pull someone else's hair." She then got the owlet to open her mouth and pull the hair from her. The mother barred owl turned to Rapunzel and said "Sorry about that."

"Oh, it's all right," said Rapunzel rubbing her hair.

"I guess she likes your hair also," said Soren laughed, and then stops when Rapunzel gave him the angry look.

"Well, thank you for saving me."

"No problem. We better get going, come Rapunzel on my back."

Rapunzel climb up on the young barn owl's back, she turn and said farewell to Alvana and baby Vora. The mother barred owl say farewell to them. Soren lifted off the tree branch and fly up in the blue sky.

The two travelers continued on flying toward the north.

"Soren."

"What is it, Rapunzel?"

"I've been thinking about those crows that attacked Alvana and her owlet. Why did they attack?"

"Ah, well… Owls and crows are natural enemy and nothing change about that. Except the echidna's crows, they are different than the ones around the owl kingdoms. Their job is to show the newcomers to the gate of the Sea of Hoolemere where the shaman echidna lives in the shore of the Beaks. He knows the way with his spins on his back can help guide with the look of the Whale's Fin and the eye of Glaux."

"Wow," said Rapunzel amazed. "Do we meet the echidna's crows and himself?"

"Of course," said Soren cheerfully.

"I wonder he'll expect me?"

"There's only one way to find out when we get to the shoreline, hold on."

Soren flapped his wings and went into speed of flight going faster. Rapunzel laughed and excitement on her face having so much fun of her life by flying. Went shortly after, when she hears a cawing sound. Rapunzel looked behind there were a group of crows seventeen of them to be exacted. Their feathers were black as darker as night sky. She thought it must be the crows that Soren told her about.

"Soren, are those crows the one with the echidna."

"Huh, what?"

"Look behind you."

The young barn owl turned his to the right wing shoulder and noticed a group of crows. Then he said "Rapunzel, those are not the echidna's crows. They're complete opposite and will surely attack."

"Oh, dear," said Rapunzel terrified "What should we do? They're just gonna mob us in till we're good as dead."

"Calm down, Rapunzel. We'll just stay calm and if they peck or attack us then I will try to get away as fast as possible and outsmart them. But the looks of these crows, they're above us and on both sides, so we'll fight them off. Listen closely. When I give the word you hit them with your frying pan as hard as you can. Got it?" Rapunzel nodded as she wrapped and tied her frying pan around her hair ends. The young barn owl counted slowly "One… Two… Three… Now!" Rapunzel started swinging her frying pan and hit two crows.

Above them, a crow who is bigger than the rest and a leader. He order his crows to attack. The crows nod and went down towards the two travelers. Soren saw them and dodges their attack. He then rolled himself in midair, went up over the other crow on the right side and got out of there without a scratch. Rapunzel hold on tight to him when he did that. The crow leader orders all of his crows to attack them again. Soren flies for it and tries to figure out a way to escape from the crows, he search around to find a place to hide. But it's not a good time to search when being chase by a group of crows. Three crows were getting closer at them, Rapunzel swung her frying pan but missed at first then she swung again and hit one of them in the head. She swung again and whacked another crow and hit the third that was almost close to her. Soren looked around then saw a small cave mouth.

"Rapunzel, I think I found a place."

"What? Where?"

"Hold on." The young barn owl quickly flies to the small cave mouth until the crows went in front to cut him off. But Soren got pass their barrier and goes under them, soar down into the small cave mouth. He flew to left, then the right and then the left up and down soaring through the cave tunnel. The young barn owl stopped when he got out the end of the tunnel, they were in a dim cave. Rapunzel knew nothing about caves or ever been inside one. The young barn owl turned his head to see if the crows are still chasing them. But none of those pesky crows ever follow them in the cave. They were safe. Now of course, the problem is how to find a way out of this cave.

"Where should we go?" said Rapunzel.

"We'll have to go straight," said Soren. The young barn owl fly onward, the cave became narrower and then got wider as he pass in. About eleven minutes later, they went to a cave of molten lava stream below them, it gave a huge explosion. The lava spurts one by one like a fountain. The young barn owl stopped a second as the hot lava spurts out then went down, he continued on moving left and right cautiously in every spurting of the lava stream. Rapunzel was sweating from the heat, she felt like being melted alive. Then they got passed the hot lava cave and Soren fly downwards as the cave got lower down, went to another lava cave but cooled and the surface was solid dry dark-grayest crust with orange veins of lava.

The young barn owl kept flying onward further away went through another cave and then another and another always going forward in till he and Rapunzel found themselves in a cave filled with masses of crystals all shapes and sizes. Soren files carefully, not to bump or even crash into them, zigzagging his way. All the crystals were clear selenite and gypsum. Rapunzel never seen crystals that were so tall and gigantic. She looked around and saw tiny crystals on the top cave ceiling, all shining like stars at night. Rapunzel gazed at the crystals. They passed the crystal cave and went into another cave. It was largest of all caves, it looked gloomy at first then the glowing of the funguses lighten up all over the cave. The two travelers came out of the cave into a long passage leads to a cavern. Rapunzel was having a good time seeing these extraordinary caves. Then she heard Soren said "Ah, there I can see a way out." Rapunzel look up and saw a gap of two boulders on both sides, there was a light outside. Soren told Rapunzel to hold on tight and then the young barn owl flew upwards, reaches for the two boulders and finally got out of there.

"Phew," said Soren "We made it out. And there's no sign of crows either."

"Yep," said Rapunzel "though I must say the caves were pretty amazing. Especially the crystal cave."

"Wait a second. This isn't the way to Sea of Hoolemere."

"What do you mean?"

"That cave we took must have taken us to the wrong direction. Which means, we're not in the north at all. Oh, great Glaux! We're in the east. We have to go back to the north." The young barn owl changes the direction and fly to the north.

Rapunzel heard a caw. She turned her head back and saw the same crows chasing them. Feeling frighten Rapunzel said "Oh, no. Soren, it's the crows again, they're coming straight at us." The young barn owl turned his head and widened his eyes.

"Not again," said Soren. "I can see these crows aren't giving up without a fight. Especially, that crow." Referring to the crow leader leading the crows.

"Yes," said Rapunzel nervously "He's big and scary yet ugly too. But what should we do? Should we keep flying and find the place to hide or-" Rapunzel didn't finished as she cries out in pain, because the crow peck on her left arm. She looked at her arm, drawing blood.

"Rapunzel, are you okay?" said Soren

"I'm fine. It's just a scratch."

"Are you sure?"

"Look out!"

The young barn owl look on his side the same crow came again and tries to peck him too. Soren quick dodges and grabbed the crow's neck into his talon, spins around and tosses the crow to the others. Another crow flies under the young barn owl. Rapunzel sees the crow's idea trying to peck from under. She wrapped frying pan around her hair ends, swung her weapon below and hit the crow. The crow falls down. Rapunzel pulled up her hair, but then she felt the pain of her left arm. She tries to ignore the pain. The crow leader orders his crows to stop them. The crows obeyed and flies after the two travelers.

"Uh, Soren, they're ganging on us," said Rapunzel looking back.

"Well, we'll just try to get rid of them," said Soren. The young barn owl files down to the towering rocks, swiftly side to side letting the crows follow him, seconds later one of the crow crash to the large rock the other crows followed the two travelers into the pine forest. The second crow was close to the young barn owl's tail feathers but then Soren went aside and like a dart the crow got stuck to the tree trunk by its own beak. Then the young barn owl soar down to the lake, five more crows fell in the water with a splashed and they drowned. Only two crows remain still flying after them. The two crow talked in their own language, after that they nodded to each other, went both ways and disappeared. Rapunzel turned to see if the crows are still following them. But there was no sign of the crows and thought they got splash by the lake when she and Soren passed there. As she turned away, something pulled Rapunzel by her long hair, she look back and it was the two crows. Rapunzel grabbed her hair and try to pull. But the crows were too strong and went up, pulled her hair more. Rapunzel felt like her head was about to pop out. Suddenly, she started to slip and fell off from the young barn owl's back. Then the two crows let go of her hair.

Rapunzel falling down in the air, the young barn owl goes in to save her but then suddenly the crow flew right in front of him and the other behind. Soren won't let these two stop him from rescuing his friend. The two crows on both sides flew towards the young barn owl, Soren quickly ducks made the crows crashed into each other. He grabbed one of them by its right wing and spins the crow around and the around in till it got dizzy then he let go of the crow, sending it down to the ground. One crow tries to attack him, but missed. The young barn owl gashed the crow's neck with his talons. The crow fell down to the ground dead. Immediately, Soren quickly flies down to Rapunzel. Rapunzel falling down, screaming and was almost to the ground. Until, Soren opened his talons and grabbed her just in time.

"Gosh," said Rapunzel "I nearly got too close of being plummeted- Oh, no my frying pan. It fell off of my hand when I was falling." Rapunzel turned and said "There it is. It's on the ground next to the rock."

"Don't worry, you'll get it," said Soren. The young barn owl flew almost to the ground as he let Rapunzel down first. She went over and grabbed her frying pan. Then Soren landed and said "All right, I think we gotten rid of those crows."

"But what about the big crow. Is he still around?"

"Afraid so. But we'll stay alert if he tries to attack again. In the meantime, we need to find a place to rest. "

Rapunzel nodded and climb up on the young barn owl's back. The two travelers went to another tree and slept a few hours then left. They looked around see if the crow leader is still out there trying to make his attack. But they haven't seen him for hours. Soren felt the trembles in gizzard that the crow leader is still at large and will take his vengeance on him and Rapunzel.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three: We're here!

The sun shines brightly in the sky, the wind blowing. Soren hovered up, soaring from cloud to cloud. An idea came to his head if they hide in the clouds might be a good solution. So that crow leader will never expected finding them above. Hour pass in the afternoon, the clouds began to drift away. The two travelers realized they can no longer hide in the clouds if it drifted and now they are in the open. Worried, Rapunzel looks around see if the crow leader is there. But no sign of him anywhere. Suddenly she heard something not like a crow caw but laugher. Rapunzel look down the forest and spots a tree with glowing light in each hollows and there were owls inside.

"Soren, what's going on down there," said Rapunzel pointed to the forest.

"Where?" said Soren.

"Over there. Where I'm pointing at."

The young barn owl look down sees the tree with glowing lights and said "Oh, that's a grog tree."

"A what?"

"Grog tree. It's where owls come for drink and socialize."

"It looks fun. May we go?" said Rapunzel. She put her head upside down to the young barn owl's face and plead.

"Well, all right then. After all we could use some refreshment." The young barn owl flies down to the grog tree and landed on the thick tree branch. The two went inside. A great marvel look in Rapunzel's face, see owls in different species talking and drinking with their metal or acorn cups. The light of candles were on the thick root stems and root like chandelier growing on the ceiling, made the grog tree look bright in every hollow. A horned owl who was in the thick root stand, behind him a shelf full of beverages. He was a tree tender. The tree tender mixes the juices and pours them in the hollowed chestnut or acorn cups and then give the drinks to the snakes. And the oddest thing she saw were snakes carrying the beverages on their backs and serve to the travelers. Soren and Rapunzel walked across the hollow, and then the talking stopped as the owls stared at Rapunzel. Some turned away, others stared as she walk by and they started whispering to one another. Rapunzel can't hear what they're saying, but it didn't matter to her. The two went to the root table shape. Rapunzel sat down the root stem as a chair. The voices begin to be loud, Rapunzel's ears couldn't help but hear what all those owls are saying about her.

"Who is that" said the snowy owl.

"It's an odd looking creature, I've never seen," said the pygmy owl.

"Is she some kind of. Oh, Glaux knows what."

Rapunzel was not surprised. These owl have never seen anyone like her before. However their words were curious saying "Is she a featherless owl or a bird or what? And what's with the fur on her head? It's so long. What is that red stain is it blood?"

Then a server snake came to the two travelers and said "What can I get you?"

"Uh, yes. I'll have water, please?" said Soren.

"Okay. And you?" The server snake turns to Rapunzel.

"I'll have water also," said Rapunzel.

"All right then, I'll be right back to get your order."

"Thank you."

The server snake gilded away from them and told the tree tender what the two travelers' order. The tree tender prepare the order, place the hollowed acorn cups to the root. Droplet of water drips from the root into two acorn cups, and put them on the serve snake's back. The snake came with two acorn cups full of water. Soren and Rapunzel both drank of their acorn cups. They finished their drink and thanked the serve snake. The two went outside. Rapunzel climbed up to young barn owl and Soren flew up into the dusk sky, and continued on.

That night, the two travelers flown through the rocky peaks, Soren saw the cave up on the top. The young barn owl flew towards the cave and passed inside. The cave was not the one they went, only it is smaller and there's no going further because of the wall block. Rapunzel wanted to go and gets some sticks to build a fire. Soren nodded. The two went out and search of some supplies for the fire. Rapunzel picks up a couple of sticks and branches, and twigs. Soren took her back to the cave and fly off, came back with a hot coal where he got it from the burning forest over on the east side. Rapunzel already made a bundle of sticks, branches and twigs wrapped, tied with a vine stem. Soren place the hot coal on the bundle. The fire grows and brought warmth around the cave.

"I'll be right back to bring some food," said Soren.

The young barn owl went out and swoop down caught a big fat mouse on the rock, flew back to the cave. He skinned and cleaned the mouse with his talons and beak. Use a stick to skewer the mouse in horizontally and place it on the fire to cook, he then turned the meat around and around each side. Rapunzel was scared and nervous of eating the mouse. When the mouse was done cooking, Soren took it out from the fire. The mouse look charred but didn't matter and then he place it on the large leaf. The young barn owl rips off the mouse into pieces and swallowed the meat. He turned to Rapunzel and said "Rapunzel, why aren't you eating?"

"Forgive me," said Rapunzel clearing her throat "I never have eaten a mouse before. And I certainly, will not eat it."

"You'll probably like it," said Soren hoping for Rapunzel will accept the mouse.

"No, thank you. I'm pretty sure I won't."

"If you don't eat you will get weak and not have the energy. Here." Soren gives Rapunzel the mouse's meat and said "Now please eat. I don't want you to starve."

"Oh, ugh." Rapunzel makes a face. Suddenly, her stomach started growling. He has a point she didn't want to starve herself. And so Rapunzel sighed "Oh, all right." She took a bite out of the meat and it was delicious. At first, Rapunzel didn't like to eat the mouse and now she likes it.

The young barn owl smiled and said "See, now that didn't taste so disgusting did it?"

"No, you were right," said Rapunzel. The two ate the whole mouse and got full. The young barn owl lowers his head down and closed his eyes. Rapunzel lie down, close her eyes and both of them went to sleep. The resting time came shortly after, when Soren woke up saw the fire has gone out. The young barn owl looked outside, see it was still dark out.

He shakes Rapunzel with his right wing and said "Wakey, wakey, I know it's so very late. But we have to keep going if we want to reach to the Sea of Hoolemere, not let the crow leader cut us off. And it's not morning yet. Come on."

"All right, all right," Rapunzel yawned "We'll go now." Rapunzel got up, stretched her body out and climbed up to the young barn owl's back.

Soren went outside and took off into the night. The two travelers fly through dozen of miles in the Beaks and almost to the shoreline. Everything came out great for them, until suddenly something knocked Soren. He turned and it was the crow leader.

The crow leader makes an attack and tries to peck them. The young barn owl swiftly dodges the crow's peck attack and strike him with his talon. The crow leader became enrage and went at them with opened talons unfortunately Rapunzel hit the crow right in the beak with her frying pan. The crow leader backs up cried out in pain of his beak. He became more furious and went at them again. Instead of reasoning with the crow leader, the young barn owl made a quick dodge, flew up to the crow's head and strikes him in his right eye. The crow leader cried out in pain, blood dripping from his right eye and unable to open. He couldn't defeat these two with an injured eye, soon the crow leader gave up and fled. Rapunzel didn't understand what gotten into that crow leader but she was glad his gone and won't be bother them anymore. However, Soren looked at the crow leader with suspicious as he flew away. The young barn owl thought it was strange, a bird like that wouldn't give up so easily. But whatever the reason was its over. The two travelers focus on their journey to the north where Sea of Hoolemere is straight ahead.

They passed through the tall basalt rocks. Rapunzel sees a stone gate arch with ornate design on the top of the tall basalt where a short-billed echidna and group of purple colored crows perched on. The two travelers flew through the ornate gate arch, below them the echidna and his crows watched.

"T'was foretold there's a newcomer among you," The echidna shouted out.

"Hello," said Rapunzel looked down, smiling and waving at the echidna.

The echidna was astonished and mutters to himself "I did not foretell she would be like that."

Rapunzel look towards the Sea of Hoolmere. It's so wide and stretched away of everlasting waters. The sun rose up beyond on the horizon glistening reflection of the blue sea. The young barn owl went on flying across the sea, then all of sudden they came to incoming mist. The mist spreads all around them and thicken, hard for Rapunzel to see what's ahead and thought they were lost. Soren told her not to worry. The mist only to cover the sea where the Island is hidden which it's there. So that no enemies try to find it. The young barn owl went on into the mist. It was a long journey flying in the sea, and finally two travelers came out of the mist.

"We're here!" said Soren.

The sun shone golden, there Rapunzel sees a small gnarled tree with two owls on top of it. Must be the owls on the lookout. One of the lookout owls ranged the gong high and loud as Rapunzel's body shrived with amazement. Then the two travelers passed through the large ornate stone gate arches and at the end of it, Rapunzel's eyes grew wide as sees the Island with of a gigantic gnarled tree. _"This is must be the Great Tree of Ga'hoole,"_ Rapunzel thought.

The young barn owl landed on the platform, Rapunzel jump off of his back and look around with awe. She sees owls flying and going on their business, owlets walking across the bridges. Fire torches and lit candles shell all around the Tree, waterfall flowing down, and banners. So much marvel of this place, Rapunzel ever seen. Then suddenly the owls of the Great Tree stopped and stare at her.

"Soren, why are they staring at me?" said Rapunzel turned to the young barn owl.

"Um… Well, you're new here," said Soren. "And they have never seen anything like you before. So say something."

Rapunzel turned to the owls of the Great Tree and she was about to speak when a group of owls and owlets all flew down and ran towards the two travelers, and surrounding them. They look surprised and very excited to meet Rapunzel. Then a little borrowing owlet passed through the crowd and said "I wanna see who it is." As the borrowing owlet came out from the crowd and saw who it was. He stares at Rapunzel with awe.

Rapunzel laughed and said "Hello. It's nice to meet you."

"Wow," said the burrowing owlet, then he smiled.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four: Tour of the Great Tree

In the parliament, King Boron and his mate Queen Barran and the rybs were all having a discussion, when suddenly a soldier came in and said "Your majesties, my apologies. But there's a crowd gathering from the platform. Come and see." The owls of Parliament stopped their meeting and looked outside. There were ga'hoolian owls all surrounding something they could not see. So King Boron and Queen Barran and the rybs all flew out of the parliament hollow down to the platform. The crowd of owls saw the King and Queen, they all move aside. King Boron and Queen Barran proceed on passing through and as the two snowy owls got nearer, they saw it was Soren and next to him was not an owl or any other animal they ever seen. And had a long fur.

The young barn owl bowed before the King and Queen of Ga'Hoole. He then whisper to the creature's left ear and she curtsey (Use both of her hands to hold each sides of her dress, then puts her right foot behind the left, bends her knees outward. Then she bowed her head and shoulders slightly).

"Hello, your majesties," said the girl. "I'm pleased to meet you. My name is Rapunzel."

Queen Barran spoke "Hello, Rapunzel, how nice to meet you."

"Yes, hello," said the King Boron.

Then the rybs walked through to meet this Rapunzel and they gave a stung look. Soren led Rapunzel to greet all the rybs. One of the rybs was an old whiskered screech owl. He had a scar on his left eye and missing toe on his right talon. "Rapunzel," he said "this is my teacher, Ezylryb."

"Hello, Mr. Ezylryb." Rapunzel curtsey.

Ezylryb smiled at her and said "Hello."

Then suddenly, the young barn owl heard three familiar voices all shouting out to him. He look up and saw his friends flying down towards him. They were happy to see Soren, then the three young owls turned and saw Rapunzel. Soren led Rapunzel to the elf owl. She was small and look intelligent. "This is Gylfie."

"Hello, Gylfie," said Rapunzel.

"Hello, Rapunzel," said Gylfie.

The young barn owl brought her to the burrowing owl tilted his head and smiled to Rapunzel "Here" he said "is Digger."

"Hi, Digger," Rapunzel smiled.

"Uh, hello," said Digger "What do call an owl who's feathering about?"

"Um… I don't know."

"Molting," The burrowing started laughing. "Get it?"

"Oh." Rapunzel laughed a little but didn't quite get the joke.

The great gray owl rolled his yellow eyes. Next Soren led Rapunzel to the largest owl "This is Twilight."

"Hello, Twilight."

"Charmed," said Twilight politely.

Then the King Boron spoke "You are welcome to the Great Tree, Rapunzel and I-" He look at her and then said "Is that blood on you?"

Rapunzel look down at her torn up dress and said "Oh, this. Long story actually."

"Well, you can tell your story later, after you get yourself cleaned up."

"Right, thank you. You're majesty." Rapunzel curtsey again.

"Gwynne," said Queen Barran.

"Yes, you're majesty," said the saw-whet owl came forward.

"Can you please take Rapunzel to the trunk hollow? Have her wash and bring some fabrics too."

"Yes, you're majesty," the saw-whet bowed and grabbed hold of Rapunzel and flew up to the hollow, where there's an empty metal bowl. Gwynne went out and came back with a cup of hot water. Pour the hot water in the metal bowl. She told Rapunzel she'll leave and be right back. The saw-whet flew out the hollow. Rapunzel took a bath, change back to her old torn up dress, minutes later the saw-whet owl came back with a basket full of fabrics, scissor, sewing needles, rolls of strings and threads, gold accessories. Rapunzel looked into the fabrics and picked out a light green one made of silk. Gwynne leaves her for a moment. Rapunzel thought of making a dress that goes with the Tree and owls of Ga'Hoole. And so, she started on cutting and sewing the fabric and made a robe like dress. The robe had a v neck in the front with golden leaf trimmings. She use two golden ornament fibulas to pin the two silk fabric together. With long open sleeves and four golden carved floral buttons, sew two on each side of the sleeves on her upper shoulders down to her wrists. Then she wrapped, tie a gold rope around her waist. Rapunzel puts on the dress and it fits just right for her size. She puts half of her hair up tied with a string and left half of her hair down.

Gwynne came back again and looked amazed at the new gown. Rapunzel looked at her torn dress and didn't know what to do with it. Then the saw-whet owl told her not worry about her dress and took it. She flew over to the fire torch and tossed the dress, went back and took Rapunzel down to the dining hollow it was time for dinner. Rapunzel thanked Gwynne and walked into the dining hollow, sees the owls eating and coddling up their meals. Cooked mice on a stick, bugs, insects, roasted voles and more. Rapunzel looked around and spotted Soren with his friends. She walked towards them.

"Hi, everyone!" said Rapunzel cheerfully.

"Hey, Rapunzel," said Soren.

"Rapunzel, hi!" said Gylfie. "You look lovely. You made that?"

"Yes, thank you," said Rapunzel. "I made it myself."

"Come and join us," said Digger. "So I can tell another owl joke."

"Really, Digger, she doesn't want to hear your jokes," said Twilight annoyed.

"Well, I don't think she want to hear your singing either."

"Of, course she would. Why even you like my singing back when we were battling off the bloodthirsty bats in the Beaks."

"That's true," said the burrowing owl dryly. "But now I don't. And besides, if you sing longer you might make her ears go deaf."

Twilight gasped and said "How, dare you." The great gray owl puffed up his feathers to make himself bigger than the burrowing owl.

"Guys, come on stop fighting," said the elf owl.

"I agree with Gylfie," said the young barn owl "You two are friends. Now both of you need to start apologizing."

Digger and Twilight both turned to one another and apologized.

"It's okay, I don't mind hearing you're owl jokes Digger or you're singing Twilight." Rapunzel climbed up the Tree's root platform and sat down next to Gylfie.

"Want's some milkberry tea?" said the great gray owl.

"Yes, please."

The great gray owl grabbed the tea kettle and pours a cup of milkberry tea and gives it to her. Rapunzel took a sip of the warm beverage.

"Here try some of the milkberry tarts." Rapunzel tasted the milkberry tarts and it was sweet.

"Hey remember this." The young barn owl winged gesture to the bread filled with dry milkberries.

"Milkberry bread my favorite!" Rapunzel's favorite food was hazelnut soup but now her new favorite food is milkberry bread.

"What?" said Gylfie surprised. "How did she-"

"I'll tell you later," said Soren.

After a good meal, Soren and his friends were ready for their morning bed time. However, Rapunzel didn't know what to do in the Tree. The young barn owl told her she'll have to go to King Boron. He'll know what to do with Rapunzel free time. Soren leaves his friends and took Rapunzel to the King. King Boron thought of something she can do for the Great Tree. Chaws aren't really a good idea although there's some of them are good such as healing and cooking, so instead she will join the guild. He explained a guild is nest-maid snakes of the Great Tree that members join in medical, sewing and play a musical harp. The snowy owl winged gesture to the upper of the trunk, where there's a harp inside only the nest-maid snake plays it. Rapunzel was interested. However, she wanted to have a look around the Great Tree first. King Boron let Soren show her around the Tree.

Soren obeyed and left the majesty's course. The young barn owl took Rapunzel to the library, where owls go to read and study. Rapunzel looked around there were shelf full of thousand books. Then they went to the forge hollow where Bubo the blacksmith of the Great Tree hammering a hot metal. On both side of the walls were helmets and battle claws all hooked on the wooden branch racks. Bubo pulls out his tong, grabbed the hot meal and puts it into the water, a steam came out from the heat of the hot metal. The great horned owl look up with his goggles on, waved to them and then went back to his blacksmithing. Soon, Soren takes Rapunzel up to the upper branches of the Tree, the healing or infirmary hollow shows where the matrons of the healing hollow treat injures. That reminds Rapunzel, she needed the matrons to check her left arm. One of the matrons have a look at Rapunzel's arm and it was a deep wound, her arm could be infected. She call out the medical snake to help the patient.

The medical snake got a string and a needle. She puts the string in the needle's tiny hole and stitched through across the patient's arm. Rapunzel try to hold it in the pain as the medical snake is sewing her arm. She cried out a little. It is better to let someone else heal it for you than using the magic hair that has healing ability. Then after the medical snake finish stitching the wound, the other matron a masked owl already soaked the soft green moist mass of herbs. She smashed the herbs with a pestle and the mortar made into a smooth clay paste of poultice. The matron heated it up, puts the poultice in a clean cloth, pressed it on Rapunzel's arm. She told her the poultice will heal the wound and the medical nest-maid snake got a roll bandage. The matron wraps around the patient's arm and pin it with a stick.

"All done," said the Matron.

Rapunzel said thank you to the matron and nest-maid. She and Soren went out from the healing hollow.

The young barn owl takes Rapunzel to the left side of the Tree and went into the nursery hollow. And high up on the thick branch they went into Ezylryb's hollow. The old whiskered screech owl turned to them and said hello. Then he told Soren there's going to be another storm which means more baggywrinkles. The young barn owl understood.

The two left Ezylryb's hollow, went up the highest top of the Tree. Soren tells Rapunzel about the search and rescue chaw and what they do in combats using battle claws. After that, they flew down to tracking hollow seeing young owls learning how to track, describing the footprints of other animals, then went to the hunting and gathering hollow where owls brings food to make many dishes and for the winter, which is coming very soon. And they went to the trunk of the Tree and first Soren shows Rapunzel the classrooms of Ga'hoology where owls learn how to take care of the Tree and learning the history of it, writing essay and getting rid of the disease that would harm the Tree. After that the young barn owl takes Rapunzel to the parliament the largest hollow where the king and queen and rybs of the chaws all go and discuss about the Tree, chaws and everything else. And also use for Navigation where owls learn about the stars and constellations. They see Strix Struma the ryb of this chaw and her students on the projector as she teaches them to navigate the traces of the stars. Soon Soren and Rapunzel went inside the store rooms like the gathering hollow, the owls use this to storage foods and weapons. The young barn owl takes Rapunzel to the Great Hall and the last of the hollows he shows her the sleeping hollow where owls go to sleep in. There were owlets inside waiting for Soren to tell more stories. Though it is morning and it's time for everyone including him to go to bed. But first he tells the owlets a story with Rapunzel listening, then the one of the owlets turned to her and said "What about you? Do have a story to tell?"

Rapunzel was surprised and said "Oh, no. I can't, it will be much too scary for you all and I don't want to give you anyone daymares." All of the owlets sighed and pleaded for Rapunzel to tell them about her adventure. But she said "I'm sorry I would. But I have to tell this to the King and the Queen first."

"Rapunzel, you'll have wait until the parliament summon you." said Soren. "It won't be long."

"Oh, right," said Rapunzel then she started to yawn "In the meantime I need to rest. I've hadn't slept in eight hours when somebody woke me up early."

"Hey, I have too," said Soren "And," he whisper to Rapunzel's ear "also, we'll tell the owls of the parliament about the crow leader we encountered. And see if they can do something about."

"Of course," said Rapunzel.

The young barn owl sat on his nest as his friends turned in and they went to sleep on their nests. All owls of the Great Tree flew to their hollows and fell asleep. Rapunzel looked her nest although she never had slept on a nest before. She's used to sleep on her warm and comfortable bed with soft pillows. But this nest looked hard made of branches, sticks all around and inside the nest was covered with moss.

"_Oh, well. I guess I have to make the best of it."_ Rapunzel's thought. Rapunzel stepped into nest, wrapped herself around with long golden hair as a blanket. She leaned down, put two hands on her head. Rapunzel was about to sleep, when suddenly she hear somebody singing, it was coming from outside and had the most lovely voice. And a harp playing.

Rapunzel got out of the nest, walked to Soren, shakes him and said "Soren, Soren wake up."

"What's wrong," the young barn owl yawned.

"Do you hear it? That singing?"

"Yes I hear it?"

"Who is singing?"

"Oh, that's Madame Plonk."

"Who's she?"

"She is the singer of the Great Tree."

"I certainly like to meet this Madame Plonk. May we go and see her?"

"Yes, Rapunzel, whatever you like. Now Goodlight."

"Goodlight, Soren." Rapunzel walked back to the nest, lie down and fell asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five: Rapunzel's first night

The sun went down it was tween time, all the owls woke up and out of their hollows. Soren, Gylfie, Digger and Twilight were up and ready to get some tweener, and going to their chaws everyone expect Rapunzel who was still asleep. They decided to let her sleep and took off. At about nine o'clock, Rapunzel wakes up and noticed the sleeping hollow was empty and thought the owls must of have gone out including Soren and his friend. Rapunzel got out of the nest when suddenly, a guard owl came in and said the King and Queen wanted to see her in the parliament. Rapunzel told the guard owl she accepts but wants Soren to go with her. The guard owl nodded. Rapunzel climbed up to the guard owl's back and flew down to the parliament.

"Wait, here. I will tell the majesties you're here."

"Thank you." Rapunzel jumped off the guard owl's back.

The guard owl went into the parliament, Rapunzel waited outside thinking of what will she say. Then the guard owl came out and said "You may enter. I'll go and bring Soren." The guard owl flew away.

"_Okay, get it together."_ Rapunzel's thought. She went into the parliament, there were lit fire torches and candles around the hollow, she sees the King and Queen and the rybs of chaws all perched on the large curved white tree branches. They were waiting for her arrival. Rapunzel climb up on the star projector and sat on the high branch stand.

"Welcome, Rapunzel," said King Boron "How was your first night in the Tree? Is everything all right?"

"Yes, your majesty," said Rapunzel. "The Tree is amazing and beautiful."

"Good. Now, let's hear your story."

"Uh, okay." Rapunzel looking nervous. Suddenly, the young barn owl flew into the parliament and perched right next to her. It was Soren.

"Sorry to intrude," said Soren. "But I was told that Rapunzel needed me here. If you don't mind?"

"Not at all." King Boron accepts the young barn owl to stay. The snowy owl fixed his eyes at Rapunzel "And now, dear," he said "you may proceed."

Rapunzel told them who she was and how she got here. The owls of the parliament were unsure about her tale. Some of them whispered to the other with their wings put to the side of their beaks or without. Rapunzel's heart beating terribly. Soon the owls of the parliament stops whispering and faced Rapunzel. And the King spoke "Continue."

"We were on our way to the Tree," she said "when all of sudden, a group of crows came and started not like mobbing but more like attacking us. They were led by a large crow or should I say "the crow leader." He ordered them to attack. We flew for our lives and manage get rid of the crows, but their leader was nowhere to be seen. So we hide cautiously and flew at night to avoid if the crow leader ever appears but never did. At that moment we were safe and almost to the shore, but then the crow leader came back again, and started attacking us. Soren strikes the large crow's right eye. Then the crow leader gave and went away."

The owls of the parliament all thought this kind of bird wouldn't give up by attacking, he might be a threat that could turn at any moment. The owls of the parliament comes to a conclusion.

"We'll do what we can about the crow leader. But for now, Rapunzel you are welcome to stay," said Queen Barran as she smiled. Her mate King Boron slammed the mallet down and the meeting was over. Rapunzel climbed onto the young barn owl's back and the two flew out of the parliament hollow.

"Phew," said Rapunzel relieved. "I was so nervous, I couldn't breathe."

"You made it out, Rapunzel," said Soren. "Don't you worry, the King will send his soldiers and they'll find that crow. Come on, I better take you to the harp hollow. This is your first night of being the guild."

"All right."

Soren flew up to the upper trunk of harp hollow. The two went in and saw a snowy owl playing the harp.

"Madame Plonk."

The snowy owl stopped plucking her harp, turned and said "Why, hello there. Have you come to sing?"

"Uh, no. Not really."

"Oh, such a shame." The snowy owl sees Rapunzel "And who is this."

"This is my-" The young barn owl didn't finish when Rapunzel cut in.

"Madame Plonk. My name is Rapunzel, I've heard your singing yesterday morning. You have a beautiful voice."

"Ah, why thank you my dear," said Madame plonk quite pleaded.

"Soren." The young barn owl recognizes that voice. He turned and gliding towards him was an elderly rosy colored nest-maid snake with misty eyes. It was his nest-maid Mrs. Plithiver or P for short.

"Hello, Mrs. P," said Soren.

The nest-maid snake turned her eyes to the left sees Rapunzel "Who's your friend?"

"Uh, Mrs. P this is my friend Rapunzel. Rapunzel, Mrs. P my nest-maid."

"Hello, Mrs. P," said Rapunzel. She smiled to the nest-maid snake.

"Mrs. P. Rapunzel will be with you. If you don't mind."

"Of, course I would be delighted."

"I'll be off for a bit then come back. Bye," said Soren.

"Bye, Soren," said Mrs. P. Even Rapunzel said bye and waved at him. Soren went outside and flew into the night sky.

The nest-maid snake and Madame Plonk went to the harp, Rapunzel followed. Mrs. P told Rapunzel how they do things in the Great Tree as a guild, lacemaking, weavers and medical making remedy potions and poultices. The most prestigious is being the harp guild, is where they accompany by the singer.

Then Madame Plonk said to Rapunzel "If you'll pardon me, I would like to sing while I play the harp?"

Rapunzel sat down, Mrs. P coiling. They watched as the snowy owl demonstrates plucking the strings of the harp with her talons. Rapunzel felt the music flown by her. Madame Plonk sings and had a magnificent voice, she have ever heard. Then the snowy owl stops singing.

Rapunzel claps and said "That was lovely."

"Why thank you," said Madame Plonk. "How about you? Do you sing?"

"Why yes I do sing."

"Then let's hear it." The snowy owl plucks the harp.

Rapunzel took a deep breath and sang:

_The moon shines bright _

_And the stars twinkling _

_Owls flying in the night_

_Oooh…_

_Flying, flying in the night…_

_All those wonderful things_

Rapunzel stopped but then Madame Plonk said "No, no go on." Rapunzel sang once more:

_Oh, those wonderful things _

_Of this lovely night_

_And the stars twinkling_

_The moon shining over the sea_

_La la la _

_Shining, shining over the sea_

_Oh, so many wonderful things…_

Madame Plonk enjoys the singing, stops playing the harp and said "Why, young lady. That was a lovely song. You should sing in the Milkberry harvest festival."

"Really?" Rapunzel smiled.

"I would be very delighted and have you in singing lessons with me. That I can help you."

"Oh I don't know what to say. Soren already ask me to sing in the Milkberry harvest festival in next year. So yes."

Soren came back and said "Hey Rapunzel how are things with Madame Plonk?"

"Oh, it was fantastic," said Rapunzel. She turned to the snowy owl "Bye, Madame Plonk. See you in the lesson."

The snowy owl nodded and said "Next time." She went to her harp, starts plucking the instrument and sings.

Rapunzel climbed and with Mrs. P gliding on the young barn owl's back. Soren flew out of the harp hollow and carefully flying down as other owls fly passed by them, then safely landed on the bridge maze. Mrs. P gliding off of Soren and said to him she'll go and help his family. The blind snake glided away. Rapunzel wrapped her hair around her arm so no owl would step on her hair, then she and Soren went on walking.

They walked and walked, owls passing through, Rapunzel look all around seeing the beauty of this Great Tree. Candle shells all lit up, the sparkling ornaments and all the whirlyglass hanging on the branches. Owls of the Tree all say hellos to her, Rapunzel was having a great time. Suddenly, a young female short eared owl flew and landed in front of them.

"Otulissa," said Soren surprised. "Uh… Uh…" he babbles, couldn't say anything. The female short eared owl looked at him with her eyebrow raised. Finally the young barn owl clears his throat and speaks "Hi, um… Otulissa this is my friend Rapunzel."

The short eared owl fixed her eyes on Rapunzel. "So, this is Rapunzel everybody talking about."

"Yes, I am," said Rapunzel. She turned to Soren and noticed he was acting strangely as his eyes goggling at the short eared owl. Otulissa noticed also.

"Soren, are you okay?" said Otulissa.

The young barn owl snapped out of it and said "Huh… What."

"Well, it's nice meeting you, Otulissa," said Rapunzel cutting in.

"Me too. Bye, Soren." The short eared owl smiled at him.

"Uh, bye Otulissa," the young barn owl laughed nervously. "Come along, Rapunzel we better go."

The two went on walking. Soren turns and stares at the short eared owl, he then noticed Rapunzel looking at him with a smirk on her face and one eyebrow raised.

"What?"

"You like her don't you Soren," Rapunzel exclaimed.

"What?" The young barn owl tried to hide it. "No, we're just friend."

"Huh-uh, sure you guys are."

Soren lowers his eyes and said "Let's just walk okay."

"Whatever, you say, Soren," said Rapunzel rolling her eyes. The two continued walking around the bridge. Later they see Gylfie walked towards them.

"Hi, Soren!" said the elf owl looking excited. She turned her eyes to Rapunzel. "And, how are you, Rapunzel. Did you have good morning rest?"

"Oh, Yes," said Rapunzel. "I feel well rested."

"We saw you sleeping and thought you probably still tired."

"Yup, I'm up and ready for anything."

"Oh, are you now."

Rapunzel nodded and said "Huh-um."

"Well, you would like come with me to the library?"

"Uh, I already went to the library, but I haven't had a chance to read one of the books yet. So yes, I'll go with you."

"Well, you two girls go on without me," said Soren "I need to go and see my family. Bye." The young barn owl lifted off the bridge and flies away.

Rapunzel and Gylfie walk over into the library, the elf owl picked out a book to read. Rapunzel picked out a book and when she opened it, every page have strange writings and didn't quite understand any of them. She's used to reading her own books at the tower. But these words were difficult. Gylfie turned to Rapunzel and noticed she was having a hard time reading.

The elf owl walked to her and said "Rapunzel, are you okay?"

"Uh…" Rapunzel turned to the elf owl. "To tell you the truth," she said "either I'm having some trouble reading the words or this book has the languages mistake."

"Mistake!" said Gylfie "There is no mistake."

"Umm… I read differently where I'm from."

"Oh, then I can help you. It might be a while for you to understand. But at least we'll get to know one another."

Rapunzel thought how nice of Gylfie to help her read the words. The elf owl picked out a book from the shelf and helped Rapunzel in each page. They spend hours reading the languages. As Rapunzel got the words right, she was able to read the writings and felt great. Gylfie was glad. The girls went out the library; they laughed and talked all the way to the dining hollow. They saw the boys eating their meals. Rapunzel and Gylfie joins them and ate. Dawn came, the owls went into their sleeping hollows as the sun rises over the sea. Rapunzel and the others went to their nests and they all fell asleep.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six: Doing in free time

Rapunzel woke up with a yawn, she look around seeing her friends and other owls were still sleeping, then looked outside it was day time still. She thought it was beautiful day to go out and walk to explore the island. Rapunzel crept in tip toes through the sleepy owls, and went outside on the oak Tree branch, but then realized she's stuck and can't get down by herself. Rapunzel look to see if something she can use for going up and down. Then over to her right, she sees a basket connected with two wooden rope pulley wheels mechanism.

An idea came in Rapunzel's head, she throw her hair to the nearest branches of the Tree, the ends of her long hair wraps around the branch and she swing herself, grabbed the other branch by her hand, climbed up on top of it, swing to another nearest branch and another branch always swinging her hair. When Rapunzel got to the basket, she found a level next to the two mechanism wheels. She got in the basket and pulls the level. The two mechanism pulley wheels started turning, rolling the ropes as the basket went down and landed on the bridge maze. Rapunzel got out of the basket and walked towards the island. She climbed up on the rocky shores of the Tree, leap across the rocks without getting wet from the sea waves as it splashes against the shore. Then she walked on the green grass and smell the fresh air. The wind blowing calmly, Rapunzel sat down on the grass, looking out the Sea of Hoolemere. The sun shining high in the blue sky, white clouds shifted.

"This place couldn't be more beautiful," said Rapunzel. She then looked over on her right side noticed a family of hermit crabs crawling around with their tiny legs and thought how cute they were. Rapunzel got up and explore the shore during her free time, there were thicket of bushes and the trees but not as gigantic as the Great Tree. The trees were small enough for Rapunzel to climb, she swung her hair and loop over the tree branch and then loop another over on the side. She holds the rest of her long hair, sat down and started swinging. Rapunzel laughed and enjoying the fun of swinging with her own hair. Then after that, she stopped swinging, unloosen her long hair and walked around the island some more. Rapunzel look up saw berries growing in the Tree, shaped like teardrops with copper-rose color. She plucked the milkberry and took a bite of it. The fruit taste what she would think of saying taste it like milk. Rapunzel finished eating and went on; climbing up and down the rocky shores on the left, she found small sea shells washout by the white sandy beach from the sea. Rapunzel picks up a couple of sea shells, walked back to the Tree and made sea shell bracelets and necklaces.

"It would be nice," she said making the shells "of me giving the owls a present when they're wake up. But it was not enough to give and I can't carry them all at once." Rapunzel needed something to pack the sea shells with, she asked one of the nest-maid snakes who were still awake, if she have anything to carry the sea shells. The nest-maid glided and brought a weave bag. That was exactly what Rapunzel needed, she said thank you to the nest-maid snake and ran off to the beach picking the small shells up put them in the weave bag. When the bag was full, Rapunzel walked back to Tree again and made more necklaces and bracelets.

As the hours passed the sun went down, the owls woke up and flew out their hollows. Soren stood up yawning and as he turned head sees Rapunzel's nest was empty.

"Hey, has anyone seen Rapunzel?" said the young barn owl turned to his friends.

The three young owls shake their heads and thought she might have gone out somewhere on the island. The young owls flew out the sleeping hollow and search for Rapunzel. They look down and saw the crowds of ga'hoolian owls gathered round in the store hollow, flew down and walked through the crowd as they got nearer there were necklaces and bracelets made of small sea shells, and giving these away was Rapunzel.

Rapunzel smiled and said "Goodnight, everyone. Here are bracelets and necklaces for all of you. Come before their all gone." The owls of the Great Tree grabbed want they like and said thank you to Rapunzel. They wore the bracelets on their talons and necklaces around their necks and even gave to their young ones. The owlets love their gifts. Rapunzel couldn't be happier. Once the sea shell necklaces and bracelets were gone, everyone left except Soren, Gylfie, Digger and Twilight. The four young owls walked towards Rapunzel.

"Oh," said Rapunzel surprised "I'm sorry I ran out. But I'll go and get some more sea shells."

"No, no, no," said Soren. "It's okay. We were looking for you."

"Oh, I hope I didn't worry you guys. You see I woke up early, went out and explored around the island then found these sea shells being washed out on the beach and made necklaces and bracelets. " At the corner of her eye, Rapunzel noticed two soldiers flying out of the parliament, armed with helmets and battle claws. She stared as they flew through the ornate gate arches to the Sea of Hoolemere. _"I see the King has already sent his soldiers out to search for the crow leader." In her thoughts "I hope they find that crow."_

"Hey, we better go and eat," said Digger tilting his head "I don't wanna miss the roasted vole."

Rapunzel snapped out it, joins them to the dining hollow for tween time and ate dinner. Twilight plucks the strings of his lute, the ga'hoolian owls listened. The great gray owl plays the instrument making beautiful music.

"Come on, Rapunzel," said the young barn owl "I'll take you to Mrs. P." Rapunzel nodded and climbed up onto Soren's back, the young barn owl lift off the ground and flew into the harp hollow where Madame Plonk was plucking her harp. He left Rapunzel with Mrs. P and flew out of the hollow. Rapunzel and Madame Plonk do the singing lesson.

After that, Soren came back from his chaw, took Rapunzel and Mrs. P out of the harp hollow.

Mrs. P brought her to a place where nest-maid snakes who join as a weaver guild. Rapunzel look at the nest-maid snakes weaving the wrap of yarns on the weaver looms making fabrics in all colors and designs. And thought she should make dresses for herself. Rapunzel grabbed the roll of string and thread, and some fabrics, got started. Hours later she made twenty dresses. The nest-maid snake were amazed and with awe on their faces. Rapunzel put the dresses into the basket and she sat down next to the weaving loom, picks a wrap roll of yarn, grabbed the tools and made a purple blanket. Then she starts sewing two small fabrics together and made a purple pillow bag. She stuffed the pillow with feathers and sewed the opening. Now she'll have something to sleep. Digger came to get her and told that Soren was out in his colliering chaw and will take some time to get back.

Rapunzel understood. The burrowing owl helped out by carrying Rapunzel's blanket and pillow. She climbed up on his back and the burrowing owl flew into the sleeping hollow, put the blanket and pillow in the nest. Rapunzel felt tried after making the sea shell necklaces and bracelets, weaving and sewing, she decided to rest in the night. She pulls out the blanket, steps into the nest, covered herself under with it, and fluffed up her small pillow, lean her head, turned on the left side and slept comfortably. Digger left her there sleeping.

Rapunzel woke up and with a surprise look on her face. She was in her bedroom not in the sleeping hollow with all the nests of owls sleeping in daylight. "Is it a dream?" she said in shock "It was all a dream. Wow." Rapunzel laughed but at the same time a little disappointed and said "And here I thought I went to a world fill with talking owls wearing full of armors. Oh, well it was all just a dream. Pascal! Pascal, you wouldn't believe what I dreamed." Rapunzel look around for her friend Pascal the chameleon. But he wasn't in her room or next to her. She got out of her bed and search around her room, nothing. Pascal isn't here. Rapunzel went out of the bedroom. The whole room of the tower was dark so dark it was hard for her to see what's down there, she went and grabbed a candleholder, light the candle and walk down the staircase.

"Pascal," she whispered softy not to wake Mother Gothel up in the downstairs bedroom with the curtains drawn. Rapunzel searched and searched for her friend but she couldn't find him around. She opened the two wooden window doors, the light of the moon shines the inside of the tower, Rapunzel blow out the candle suddenly she heard a flapping sound.

She turned around and up on the top of the staircase was a black bird look like a crow but not at all like a crow. Only larger and hideous, Rapunzel couldn't stop looking. Its one eye was glowing yellow, it had curved cruel beak. It flew towards Rapunzel with its talons opened to attack her. Rapunzel ran and screaming for her mother. She opened the curtains, Mother Gothel wasn't there the bedroom was empty. Rapunzel made a quick dodge as the creature strikes with its talons. She walked backwards, forgetting the two window doors were opened. The horrible bird like creature flies in and attacks Rapunzel. All of a sudden, Rapunzel fell back from the tower and fall all the way down into the darkness. But immediately a voice said "Rapunzel, wake up! Wake up!" Rapunzel opened her eyes and see she was still in the nest. And the speaker who woke her was Soren.

"Rapunzel, are you all right," said the young barn owl.

"Yeah, I'm okay," said Rapunzel nodding her head. "That dream I had… I was in my room, went out looking around the tower search for my friend and there was this awful bird who tried to kill me. Ugh, what a nightmare."

"Nightmare?"

"A nightmare is when someone who had bad dreams at night. Like you owls have daymares only in daytime."

"Oh."

"It's still night time," said Rapunzel looking out of the hollow.

"Actually, its mid-night." said Soren "Rapunzel, if you can't sleep. Then maybe you should come down. Gylfie is waiting for you at the library. I came to see if you are still up or not."

"Sure why not." Rapunzel climbed up on the young barn owl's back. Soren flew out the hollow and went down, landed next to the library. He and Rapunzel pass in, seeing the elf owl reading a book about the stars. Gylfie turned and went to them. She helps Rapunzel study the stars whenever she gets lost in the woods or other lands she'll know how to find the directions by following the stars, including the constellations. Rapunzel likes learning the stars. Soon the two said bye to the elf owl and left the library. Soren took Rapunzel up to a hollow, where there's two adult Tytos inside.

The young barn owl flew into hollow and said "Hi, Ma and Da."

The two adult Tytos all turned and both of them said "Hello, Soren."

Marella hug her son and Noctus smiled, then his eyes turn directly to Rapunzel. "Is, that who were talking about, son?"

"You, told them about me?" said Rapunzel.

"Uh, yes," said the young barn owl. He turned to his family and said "Ma, Da this is Rapunzel my friend."

Then he sees a fluffy barn owlet running towards him with opened wings and shouted out his name with excitement "Soren! Soren!" She jumped and hugged her brother.

"Oh, hello eg," said Soren. The young barn owl hugs his little sister. "Eglantine," he said "this is Rapunzel."

The barn owlet look at Rapunzel with her eyes widen, never have seen a creature like that before and how long of the creature's fur. Eglantine said in a shy tone "Hi…"

"Hello, Eglantine," said Rapunzel smiling.

The barn owlet smiled and whispers to her brother's ear "She's pretty." Soren chuckled.

The Tyto family welcomed Rapunzel into their hollow, Eglantine wanted to play a game with her. It's called: the Battle of the Ice Claws and told her what the game plays as two characters the hero Lyze of Kiel or the evil owl leader Metal Beak. Rapunzel accept it and plays being the evil Metal Beak. The barn owlet gave her a toy beak made of grass wrap in a twirl. Rapunzel have hard time putting on her nose because of the toy beak keeps on falling off. Then she had an idea, Rapunzel tells Soren she needed a needle and a string. The young barn owl nodded, went out and came back with the string and needle.

Rapunzel thanked him, use the needle to put two holes on each side of the toy beak and puts a string through the holes, and tie a knot tight. She stretches out string of the toy beak and put it in place on her nose and it fits perfectly. Eglantine grabs a leaf helmet that her brother made for her to play Lyze of Kiel on the next go. She puts the leaf helmet on her head. The two take places and the game begin. Rapunzel plays into character and makes a sinister laugh.

"Feel my wrath, Lyze of Kiel," said Rapunzel as Metal Beak. "For I will defeat you. Then nobody will be able to me. With the army of Pure Ones on my back. We'll take over the owl kingdoms." She gave an evil laugh.

"I wouldn't count on it," said Eglantine as Lyze of Kiel with a triumph tone in her voice. "You may have a strong army. But as long I believe. We will stop you and bring peace for we are the Guardians of Ga'Hoole."

"We'll just see about that." Rapunzel and Eglantine circle around and around playing, laughing and enjoying their fun. Three Tytos watched them as they play the game. "You cannot defeat me, Lyze of Kiel." Rapunzel chuckled sinisterly. Until, a minute or two Eglantine jumps on Rapunzel. Rapunzel squeaks out, fell back down, being squished as the fluffy owlet landed on her.

"Rapunzel, are you okay," said the young barn owl as he rush in.

"Oh, I'm sorry," said Eglantine. She lifts herself off from Rapunzel.

"It's all right, I'm okay," she said getting up. "That was fun."

"Okay, okay." said Noctus coming between the three "The sun is almost rising. And it's bedtime for you, Eglantine."

The little barn owlet moaned and was disappointed. Eglantine didn't want to go to bed she was having so much fun with Rapunzel. Then the barn owlet yawned and told she wasn't sleepy. But her parents disagreed. Marella took her daughter in the nest. Eglantine yawns once more and fell asleep.

"We better go too," said Soren.

"All right son," said Marella. "Rapunzel, it's very nice meeting you."

"Nice meeting you too. And thank you for welcoming me in your home. It's lovely."

Noctus and Marella said their byes to Soren and Rapunzel. The young barn owl flew out the hollow and the two ate a warm meal. The owls of the Great Tree went into their sleeping hollow. Soren and Rapunzel went in and slept through the morning.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven: A visit to Ezylryb

It was a stormy night, the lightning flashes, thunder crashed in the air, rain poured hard. Waves roared the seas. Rapunzel looked outside It's was a miserable weather. She saw the old whiskered screech owl flying the thundering sky along with his students.

"Perhaps," she said "this is a weather chaw. It looks so dangerous."

Looking above seem like it's a terrible chaw for the young owls flying in the storm. She saw one of Ezylryb's students get separate from the group and the owl was being pulled to the sea twister. Rapunzel gasped with terror seeing the owl almost closer to the twister, but suddenly two birds flew in and rescue the young owl taking her back to the Tree. They don't look like owls Rapunzel ever seen before. She look closely their feathers are white, black grayish color. Their beaks were not curved yet theirs were hooked and has a red color and have flat webby feet. The seagulls sentenced the young owl to Ezylryb. Rapunzel couldn't hear what they're saying sound of the thunder makes it hard her to understand. She sees the old whiskered screech owl thanking the two seagulls and they fly off. Ezylryb gave a talk to the young owl and dismissed his students and flew into his hollow. Rapunzel decided to visit him until the rain stops. As the storm passes she swung her hair, wrapped around the Tree branch and climb up.

On the top curved of the Tree, swinging branches to branches, by her long golden hair, more climbing Rapunzel made it on the high top right limb of Ezylryb's hollow. She passed in the old screech owl's hollow saw him writing on his book unaware of her visit. Rapunzel walked quietly towards the old owl and said "Hello, Mr. Ezylryb."

Ezylryb turned and said "Well, hello there. Coming to visit did you?"

"Yes." said Rapunzel "And I saw you and your students flying in the thunderstorm. Is that part of the chaw?"

"Huh-uh." said the old screech owl "Why you ask?"

"Um… nothing just curious." There was an awkward silent. "So, she said "what happen in your chaw? I saw your student pull by the sea twister and the birds saved her. Is she okay?"

"Oh, she had an injured her wing. But she'll be fine in the infirmary."

"That's good to hear. And what are those two birds. I never saw them before?"

"They're seagulls."

"Seagulls," said Rapunzel. "What are seagulls?"

"The seagulls are seabirds live in colony nesting on the ground. And they're wet-pooper birds."

"Wet-pooper?" said Rapunzel raise her eyebrow.

"They don't yarp pellets like we do." Ezylryb replied.

"Oh. Ugh!" said Rapunzel making a face.

Ezylryb chuckled and said "And I make wet poop jokes."

"You mean like funny seagull jokes?" said Rapunzel. Normally she hears Digger making owl jokes and some were funny.

"You could say that"

"Oh, tell me one of your jokes, Mr. Ezylryb" said Rapunzel looking forward to hear the joke.

"The wet pooper," Ezylryb began "flies above a group of crows and splats." The old whiskered screech owl did a churr sound that's how owls do when they laugh.

"That's a good one," said Rapunzel laughing. She then looked around the hollow. There were books with golden art novena, scrolls, and the small gadgets. Rapunzel was curious of these things and asked Ezylryb. First the old screech owl shows her a small world globe, three different sundials one bowstring equatorial and one sphere armillary and one flat horizontal on the lower bookshelf. There a candle lantern on top of the books, a RNA molecule model shaped like a coiling snake with Nitrogenous Base pairs and glass graduated cylinder, and on top of the large root a small microscope. And hanging on the top ceiling, two wind chimes one sea glass and two marble balls hanged from the seaside ropes wrapped. "You have a lot of stuff, Mr. Ezylryb," said Rapunzel. She climbs up on the large root and look into the small microscope seeing the owl pellet.

The whiskered screech owl put his battle claw on his right talon, pulling it with his beak, then he flew onto the torch raked the hot coals and fill the hollow toasted warm. Took off his battle claw, went back to his book and starts writing. Rapunzel climb down and walk back to Ezylryb, seeing him writing.

"If you don't mind me asking, but what are you writing?"

"Writing poetry," said Ezylryb, eyes on his book.

"Oh, what kinds?" said Rapunzel.

"Why, all sorts."

"So these books you wrote are all poems?"

The old whiskered screech owl turns to Rapunzel and nodded.

"May I have a look at them?"

"You may," said the old screech owl.

Rapunzel walk cross the hollow, picks a book lying on the floor and reads it, turning pages. Poet of wars and bloody fights which Rapunzel didn't like. She closed the book and read the next one with poet of beauty and passion. _"These poems are quite lovely,"_ Rapunzel's thought. She read the other books and afterwards Rapunzel finished reading, went back to the old screech owl as he stamped the page with the Tasmanian devil head carved. Rapunzel look at the Ezylryb's missing toe of his right talon and she gasped with horror. The whiskered screech owl turns to Rapunzel and soon sees her reaction.

"Sorry, I… I… didn't mean-"

"Oh, this," said the old screech owl raising his right talon still holding the wooden stamp. Rapunzel nod slightly and lowered her eyes. "I see your shock. That's okay."

"What happen to your toe if I may ask?" said Rapunzel curious about the old screech owl's past.

"Well, it's not a pleasant story I have to say," said the old screech owl. He took a deep sigh and told the story.

The story of the Battle of the Ice Claws,

"_Long ago in the old ages, there was an army called the Pure Ones. They were led by a sooty owl named Metal Beak. The Pure Ones were evil owls who wanted take control of all the owl kingdoms, hurting and murdering the innocent. All the species of owls found themselves in despair. But the different kind of owls who live in mist of the Sea of Hoolmere wouldn't let Metal Beak's reign be control anymore. We were called the Guardians of Ga'Hoole._

_On a cold blizzard night, the Guardians left the Tree flew to the sea, followed by me. To face the Pure Ones and their leader Metal Beak. I was a young soldier once named Lyze of Kiel."_

"Then you are lyze of Kiel," said Rapunzel interrupted. "Don't stop now. Please go on."

"_As we fly towards the enemy," Ezylryb continued. "There I saw the greater sooty owl for the first time. Oh, he was large like the size of a raven and the left side of his eye was slivery grey. Talons opened then all hell breaks, his soldiers and mine fought. Battle claws clashes, feathers covered in blood stains in the battle. Metal Beak and I seize each other with both of our talons hold onto, circling around, around and around. The high Tyto did a head-but on me but that didn't stop me. We broke off, went on fighting. Until, he slice off my toe. I cried out in pain as my toe landed down in the basalt rock as it stand with the blade._

_I flew back and turned around flying away from the Lord Tyto High. Metal Beak followed me. As the battle begins to grow into darkness, the enemy of the Pure Ones was great, outnumbered my soldiers and were soon to gain the advantages. When the large greater sooty owl got nearer, I only had one change. I turn around hover upwards with the moon rising behind me and swung my battle claw and cut off the Lord High Tyto's upper beak."_

"Ouch," said Rapunzel make a wince look.

"_Metal Beak fallen scream out in pain of his upper beak, he and all of his soldiers retreat and never to be seen again. The Guardians won in that snowy night. And I became a hero and a legend. That's my story."_

Rapunzel was astonish yet frighten at the same time.

"So that's what happen to your toe. Ouch," said Rapunzel.

"Yup," said the old screech owl.

"Sorry about your toe, Mr. Ezylryb."

"Aw, you don't have to say sorry. That's what happens when you fight in a battle."

"I guess."

A short silence between the two, then Rapunzel said "I better go now. Soren's probably wondering where I am." She walked out of the old whiskered screech owl's hollow and said bye to Ezylryb.

Rapunzel swung her long hair to the thick Tree branch next to her, wrapped around it and she took a jump, rappelling herself down to another limb of the Tree. Then she did it again only swing with her hair to the branch, Rapunzel surfed on foot to the curved parts of the trunk and swing across the branch, back inside the sleeping hollow. But Soren and the others weren't there. She remembered the young owl that was put into the infirmary. Rapunzel rappelled down went into healing hollow to check on the young owl.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight: To the infirmary

"Hello." said the medical matron as she saw Rapunzel coming into the infirmary. "How's your arm?"

"Oh, it's still hurts," said Rapunzel.

"Let me see." The masked owl matron brought Rapunzel for a checkup. Unwrapped the bandage to examine Rapunzel's left arm, sees the stitched wound. She put a new poultice on the clean bandage and wraps it around, tied Rapunzel's arm. "There you go. Just a few weeks until your arm heals."

"Thank you. But I came here to see an owl who was brought here after that sea twister."

"Oh, she's right there on the left, resting," said the masked owl matron sees the patient. "I'll take you to her, come with me." The matron led Rapunzel across the healing hollow. There were small nests embedded in the wall, resting in one of those nests was a young boreal owl wearing bandages on her wing and around her waist. She blinked, opening her eyes sees the matron and a stranger with long golden hair.

"Ah, good," said the medical matron "You're awake. Someone's here to see you."

"Hi," said Rapunzel stepping forward to greet the young boreal owl. "I'm Rapunzel. What's your name?"

"Caren," said the young boreal shyly.

"It's nice to meet you, Caren. Ah look I saw you flying in the storm being pull away by the sea twister far from the Tree."

"Oh, yeah," said the young boreal owl. "I forgot the important rule that Ezylryb told me in the weather chaw is to stay in the group. So I wouldn't get suck into the twister and tossed around or worse getting your wings rip off."

"Ick," said Rapunzel holding her neck.

"I'm glad to be alive though. Those seagulls came and save me from that terrible twister even if they are wet-poppers. If hasn't been for them I would of- I would of-" She went silent.

"It's okay. You're here now and resting for a while. Till you are healed and ready," said Rapunzel kindly.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

The masked owl matron came back and said to Rapunzel "Hello, sorry. But your visit is over."

"Okay, thanks," Rapunzel turn to Caren "I'll come and check on you next time, okay."

The young boreal owl nodded and said "Bye, Rapunzel."

"Bye."

Rapunzel went out of the healing hollow. She climbed down the trunk of the Tree and landed on the bridge. _"Wow, I can't believe I climb on this gigantic Tree."_ Rapunzel's thought. Her stomach began to growl it was time for lunch. Rapunzel walk to the dining hollow saw only Twilight plucking his lute.

"Ah, Rapunzel," said the great gray owl "Care to hear my music as I sing."

"Yes, please," said Rapunzel sitting down next to him. The great gray owl plucked the strings and began to sing:

_There was a maiden with long golden hair_

_She had kindness in heart_

_And a lovely smile, she swings by her long golden hair, she swings and swings continue on_

_Along with happiness and merry she swings on as the moon rise up…_

Then Rapunzel sang along with Twilight:

_Oh, a maiden runs into the field with freedom in her heart…_

_Oh, she swings to the tree branches by her long golden hair she swings and swings_

_The maiden goes whenever her heart takes her…_

_She swings and swings by her long golden hair_

_A maiden with long golden hair…_

All the owls of the Great Tree hooted and cheering for the two singers, Soren, Gylfie and Digger flew down to them in the dining hall they too cheered. Later everyone stopped cheering went to their meals. Rapunzel drink the milkberry tea and ate a nootie cake. She looked up, wondered which of these hollows have the kitchen and asked Soren if he know where it is. The young barn owl shows Rapunzel with his left wing gestured to where the kitchen is. Rapunzel climb onto his back and the two flew to the hollow following the smell of delicious aroma.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine: Cooking Chaw

The two passed in, they see owls cooking the meals of milkberry breads and tarts and other cuisines. There were pots and pans in and over the fire pits and ovens, dry herbs hanging upside down by the strings. Rapunzel saw the cook crushes the milkberries with a mallet grinder. The sound of kettles whistling with smokes coming out, water boiling inside. Put bags of dry milkberries in each kettles, brewing them. Poured the tea in each nut cups. In the oven, the meat cooked evenly above the metal bar called a plivat. The other cook stirs the pot with a wooden spoon, putting fresh herbs in, stirred and taste it. Rapunzel loves cooking, it reminded her when she cooks at the tower. She and Soren watched the cooks preparing the meals.

"Hey, you two," said the snowy owl as he spots Soren and Rapunzel doweling in the kitchen. "Are you two here to watch or help out?"

"Oh, I'll help," said Rapunzel excited.

"Good, we need more talons we can get."

"Come on, Soren. This will be fun."

Soren sighed and followed her. The snowy owl gave Rapunzel a wooden spoon and tells her to stir the pot of hermit crab soup. Then turn to Soren "And you, he said "can skewer these mice and voles." Soren grabbed the sticks and started skewering.

Rapunzel thought it was nice of the cooks to let her help make the dish. Suddenly, the cook a long eared owl named Jasper moaned. Rapunzel noticed something was wrong, she put down the wooden spoon and walked to the long eared owl.

"What's the problem?" said Rapunzel.

"I can't make this cake!" said the long eared owl frustrated. He shows Rapunzel the cake. It was so messy and the batter dripping on the floor. This dish doesn't look like cake at all. And it's not the only one. Five more were as messy as this one.

"Uh, what are they?"

"They're nootie cakes. They say in the Great Tree these nootie cakes are good and delicious but it's a most difficult dish to make. And I can't do it. These dishes are impossible." His eyes welled in tears and the long eared owl put his wing over his face covering with disgrace.

"Oh, come on now. Nothing is impossible" said Rapunzel patted on the long eared owl's back. "Tell you what. I'll help to make this dish. We'll do it together."

"Really," said long eared owl wiping off his tears.

"You bet. Now let's get start it."

Rapunzel and long eared owl gather all the ingredients and some of nootie nuts. And read how to make nootie cakes from the recipe book. They followed the recipe carefully first doing dry and wet ingredients separately, and putting them in the large wooden bowl and stir, mix it all together. Then they crushed the nootie nuts with a grinder. Put the nuts in the bowl mixed again. They poured the cake batter in each cake tins and then put them in the fire oven, watched the cakes rise as they bake. When the cakes were done, Rapunzel and long eared owl took the cakes out of the oven and leave them to cool down. The nootie cakes were perfect the cooks said they both did an excellent job making the nootie cakes.

"Thanks, Rapunzel," said the long eared owl cheerfully. "For helping me make this dish. Without you I would've cry my eyes out."

"You're welcome," said Rapunzel.

"All right, everyone the dishes need to go to the dining hollow and careful carry the hot ones."

Rapunzel, Soren, Jasper and the other cooks bring the cuisines down to the dining hollow setting them in different Tree's root platforms. The owls of the Great Tree came into the dining hollow and ate the meals even the nootie cakes, Rapunzel and long eared owl made. And they love it.

"These owls really like the nootie cakes, you guys made," said Soren turn to Rapunzel and the long eared owl.

"Yup, they sure do," said Jasper.

"Huh-uh," said Rapunzel as she took a piece of nootie cake and bite out of the nuttiness favor "Mmm, yummy."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten: Hide and Seek

Rapunzel saw everyone enjoying the meals and desserts, except she kept thinking about her friend back in the infirmary. And so she told Soren she needed a ride to the infirmary. The young barn owl nodded. Rapunzel wrap up the piece of nootie cake with a cloth, climbed on Soren's back and the two fly to the infirmary. They saw the young boreal owl still lying on the nest resting. The two went towards her as she open her eyes.

"Hi, Caren, I've brought you a piece of nootie cake," said Rapunzel. She unwrap the cloth and gave the cake to the young boreal owl.

The young boreal owl took a bite of the cake and said "Yum, it's delicious. Thank you." Rapunzel smiled. After Caren finish eating the cake, she closed her eyes and went fast asleep.

"Let her rest, Rapunzel," Soren whispered. "You'll visit her some other time."

"Right," said Rapunzel looking at her friend and walking away. The two went out of the infirmary. Soren took Rapunzel back to Madame Plonk. Doing harp music lessons with the students who are singing in chorus. Rapunzel visited the young boreal owl again. Every night she visited Caren until she got better, her wing and waist were healed. The matron said she can leave. Caren got up, out of the nest and thanked the matron. Then the matron wanted to check Rapunzel's arm. Rapunzel pulled out her arm and let the matron unwrap the bandage to see. The matron said her arm is healed. She began to unstitch the strings out of the flesh, though it has a scar which is permanent. Rapunzel didn't mind that she has healing power to fix the scar. But it's best to not to use it for now.

The young boreal owl flies down with Rapunzel riding on her back and landed on the bridge, walked around until they heard a laugher.

Caren turned her head and said "Ooh, Rapunzel. It looks like they're seemed to be following us."

"What?"

"Look behind you."

Rapunzel turned her head and sees little owlets. Those were the owlets from the sleeping hollows who wanted to hear Rapunzel a story. "Why, hello children. Can I help you all?"

"Oh, we were wondering," said the burrowing owlet. "If you can tell us the story."

"Uh, I don't' know," said Rapunzel.

The owlets wanted to hear the story and started begging.

"They're not giving up," said the young boreal owl "In a matter of fact, I want to hear your story as well."

"All right," said Rapunzel "I tell you all."

"Yippee," said the owlets cheerfully.

Rapunzel, Caren and all the owlets walked to the grass close to the Tree. Rapunzel sat down on the root, the young boreal owl perched next to her on the right side and all the owlets gather around to hear the story. Rapunzel told them the story of her first time being in the outside world and had amazing adventure, the owlets were excited of the tale and can't wait to hear what happen next. But then Caren stops her by covering Rapunzel's mouth with her talons and took her far away from the little owlets so their ears won't hear what they are saying. In the beachside, the young boreal owl said to Rapunzel that she almost say a bad word and explained in a serious tone of her voice. Rapunzel didn't know what the bad word is like racdrop and sprink which are the worst of any owl would say, though she was not an owl. But it's not good to say it, not in front of the children. Rapunzel apologized for that and never say it again. So did the young boreal owl of talking like a grownup. Caren was concerned about the barn owl which Rapunzel speaks of. With red glowing eyes and saying dreadful language didn't sound like a good owl. But she didn't what to tell her friend so she kept it to herself for now. Then the young boreal owl carry Rapunzel back to the owlets still waiting for them.

"Sorry, everyone. There was something me and my friend have to talk about, nothing serious. Now let's continue." And Rapunzel did, when she finished all the owlets were amazed of Rapunzel's story. They come to love it and wanted to hear it again. Rapunzel couldn't refuse the owlets, so she told the story again.

"Whatever happened to the other Tyto?" said the sooty owlet.

"Um… well, I don't know exactly, what happen to the Tyto" Rapunzel replied. "He's out there somewhere. Probably still being grumpy."

Then the pygmy owlet said "More stories."

Rapunzel didn't have much adventures expect being in this mystical Tree. The owlets were disappointed. Rapunzel didn't want them to be sad so she try a different way and said if they wanted to play a game. The owlets look at one another with puzzled looks on their faces. Then one of them said "What kind of the game?"

"Uh, well," said Rapunzel figuring out "any game like Battle of the Ice Claws or play hide and seek."

The owlets know pretty well playing of hide and seek, the Battle of the Ice Claws will do after the game. They agreed to play. Rapunzel will be a seeker and starts counting one to one hundred. The owlets scattered out hiding everywhere around the Great Tree. When Rapunzel counted to one hundred she then said out loud "Ready or not here I come." She searched and searched it's seem tough to find the owlets. She didn't know how she will ever pull this off. But all of sudden she heard laugher, shushing noises and whispering. Once she hear it, Rapunzel follow the sound where they are. Then when she went to the hollows and hear laughter, she plays acting "Oh, dear. Where did these owlets go?" The owlets thought she was serious and that she'll never find them in here. Suddenly Rapunzel pop her head inside one of the hollow and found thirteen owlets. They came out, she went on searching the others.

Strix Struma and her students went to the parliament to study the navigation when they saw five owlets who weren't supposed to be in here and escorted them out. The five owlets were caught by Rapunzel. She heard an owlet laugh and was hiding behind a grownup spotted owl. The spotted owl move aside, the owlet laughs aware he was found. Rapunzel pointed and said "Ah-ha, got you!" The owlet behind make him scream out in terror. The game was over Rapunzel have fun. Then they play Battle of the Ice Claws and other games. The owlets have a lot of fun playing with Rapunzel and want to do it again. Their parents came flew down to get them.

Twixt time came, the owlets' parents took them to their hollows. It was their bedtime.

"Goodlight," said Caren. The young boreal owl flew to the sleeping quarter.

Soren returned from his chaw and gets Rapunzel. The two went up to the sleeping hollow and everyone rested asleep expect Rapunzel. She couldn't help but thinking about the Tyto and began to worried. _"Oh, I hope nothing bad has happen to him. Even if he is a grouch_." Rapunzel's thought.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven: Trader Mags

In the afternoon, Rapunzel and the nest-maid snakes were up, drinking a nut cup of milkberry tea and talked about their guild. One of the nest-snakes heard that the trader is coming over to the Tree in copper-rose in tween time. With curiosity, Rapunzel didn't know what a trader was and asked if they know about the trader.

A nestmaid snake named Lyttane said "A trader is a bird who sells ware around throughout the southern kingdom. She comes to the Tree with all the stuff from the old buildings of what we called_ "The Others_."

"She is an owl?" said Rapunzel.

"An owl," the purple snake laughed. "No, dearie, she is not."

"Then what she is?"

"You'll see her for yourself when the sun drops down in dusk."

Rapunzel sighed.

The nest-maid snakes all finished drinking their tea and went on to their guilds. Rapunzel look up at the sky thinking in her thoughts. When she felt a scaly wrap around her legs it was Mrs. P. The rosy scaly snake coiling around below Rapunzel, she rose her head right up to the girl's face.

"Rapunzel, what is a matter," said Mr. P.

"Oh, I just thinking, Mrs. P that's all," said Rapunzel. "It's nothing."

"Fairy well then," said the rosy scaly snake as she uncoiling Rapunzel's legs. "You can tell me later. "

"Yes, Mrs. P," said Rapunzel.

Mrs. P and Rapunzel went to their guild. Hours passed, the sun setting down in the sea horizon, began to be twilight. The owls fly out of their hollows and to their routine. Rapunzel and Caren were walking the island with Mrs. P gliding when they saw owls building a stand next to the market place.

"I can't wait for the trader to get here," said Caren with excitement on her face. "I wonder what she's gonna trade this time. Hopefully, she trades me the isinglass that will be great for me to make a whirlyglass."

"You mean those hanging on the branches," said Rapunzel pointing on the whirlyglass.

The young boreal nodded. "Rapunzel," she said "what do you have for to trade?"

"Oh, I don't have anything to trade with."

"Why won't you give the trader a seashell necklace that you made," said Mrs. P.

"That's a great idea, Mrs. P. Don't move I'll be right back." Rapunzel ran to the store rooms where she put all the seashell necklaces with other supplies of the Tree. She picked the shell necklace and ran back to the market place. The trader wasn't there yet, the three waited. Then a warbling sound came through the night.

"It's the carol." The lookout owl shouted as the sound of the gong bang. Coming to the Tree were the warble of magpies. Rapunzel thought they look like crow but their feathers were black and white. And on their edges both side of their shoulder feathers were pure streak white, greenish purple of the wings, their tails were black with glossy green. Their primaries were white as they opened. The two of them have baskets and bags carrying on their backs. The magpies caroling threaded and landed down to the market place, passed aside the three and set up the wares or what Trader Mags would called "Collection." Rapunzel can recognized the wares, there were color stained glasses, shells, small crystals and more. All the owls swoop down from the Tree branches, gather to trade with the trader.

"Come right up, everyone," she squawked. "As I Trader Mags will trade you."

Rapunzel looked at Trader Mags with widened eyes and thought, how could someone that makes a lovely carol birdsong then squawks like a seagull or crow. The owls of the Great Tree trade with their stuff to new things. She opened up and hugged her friend Madame Plonk. "Here some sparklies for you," she squawked. Madame Plonk smiled.

Caren went up to the two magpies.

"Do you have any isinglass?" she asked.

"Yes, I do have some isinglass. Here it is," said Trader Mags pulling out a flat like glass sheet. "What do you want to trade?"

"I'll trade with this rabbit's fur."

"Ah, excellent, I should say," said Trader Mags "Here you go missy, the isinglass."

"Thanks, Trader Mags," said Caren as she walked away from the two magpies, went back towards Rapunzel and Mrs. P. "Now I will make isinglass into whirlyglass. You wanna make whirlyglass, Rapunzel?"

"I'll make it later. I don't know what the trader will trade me. Hopefully, a small sized hairbrush will do. That would be nice. What about you Mrs. P?"

"Me?" The rosy scale nest-maid snake looked to Rapunzel. "I don't need anything to trade, dear. If you need me I'll be helping Soren's family. Goodnight girls." The rosy scale nest-maid snake glided away.

"Goodnight, Mrs. P.," said both Rapunzel and Caren. She turned to the trader stand "Well, here I go Caren." Rapunzel pass through the crowd, went up to the two magpies. They have jaunty bandanna on their heads. She was about to speak when one of the magpies made a squawk.

"It's her it's her," Trader Mags squawked. "Bubbles look it's the creature!"

"Yes, it's me. Um, do you have trade worth for this seashell necklace? I made them myself."

But the magpie didn't response and said "Are you the creature who fought with a group of crows?"

"Well, I wouldn't say fought. I would probably say defending myself by a group of crows who were almost ambushing me and my friend. If you don't mind me changing the subject. But how do you about me?"

"We hear rumors in the grog tree," said Bubbles popped out. "Saying they saw a creature with long golden hair who was not an owl nor a bird or any other animal in the kingdom they ever seen."

"We thought," said Trader Mags steps in. "They were seeing things maybe drinking too much of bingle juice. But now we see you they were right."

Rapunzel never expected owls and birds in the grog tree would talk about her. Then she said "Yes, indeed they are. Now how about trading?"

"Ah, yes, well look around missy. See what you like."

Rapunzel took a look at the ware what these two magpies have in the stand. Seconds later, Rapunzel picked out a red book with a copper ornament design outside the cover and she opened it. The book was plain no words written. She thought she could use this book for drawing. Rapunzel went up to the two magpies, ask them to trade the book for the seashell necklace. Trader Mags look into the necklace and she accepted, gave Rapunzel the red book. Rapunzel said thank you to them and walk away, but then another thought came to her head and went back to the two magpies.

"Excuse me, Trader Mags."

"Yes," The magpie turned to Rapunzel.

"There's one thing I would like to know. The nest-maid snake told me about the two of you went to the ruins of old buildings."

"What do you need to know?"

"Well, I was curious about the old buildings. Are they still around?"

"Yes."

"Oh, where?" said Rapunzel. "Please tell me."

"Why, they're around the whole kingdoms."

"Wow," said Rapunzel. "Well, I better be off to harp lessons." She walked away from the two magpies, looking back she sees the crowd trading with new wares from Trader Mags. Rapunzel went to her harp class. She couldn't stop thinking about the old ruins wondering what it's like. Then after she and the young boreal owl went into the library for Caren studying her test essay. Books for her class the weather chaw. The young boreal owl was so frustrated and look over slowly at the book as she was reading and discovered the answer. Next to her Rapunzel who was sitting down with her left hand on her cheek. The young boreal owl stops for a moment, turned her eyes to Rapunzel and noticed something was up.

"Rapunzel, what's wrong?" said Caren.

Rapunzel snapped of it, turn to the young boreal owl and said "Hmm?" Oh, sorry I was just thinking."

"Thinking about what?" said the young boreal owl.

"About the wares what the two magpies got it from the old buildings. If they are still standing. Then it be must somewhere around in the owl kingdoms. I would be interesting to me to see this ruin city for myself. Wouldn't you agree, Caren?"

"Uh, yes it would be."

"Then that's settles it. I'm going to ask Trader Mags to take me there to the ruin city" said Rapunzel as she dashed out of the library. She ran to the market place seeing trader Mags and Bubbles still trading.

"Trader Mags," said Rapunzel panting. "If it's true you two found the old building of ruin city. With your permission to will you take me?"

"What!" Trader Mags squawked "Are you yoicks?"

"Please, I must see the ruins."

As the magpie see Rapunzel's face wanting to go, then Trader Mags said "Alright."

"Yes," said Rapunzel with excitement and dashed away.

Trader Mags and Bubbles looked at each other, puzzled of what just happened. They went on trading and ate a meal some of the cooks had prepared for them. After that, the two magpies waited for Rapunzel to come out. Then suddenly, they saw a dark figure sneaking in the thick roots and running towards them, as it got closer in sight. It was Rapunzel. She was wearing a burgundy velvet cloak with black fur liner and satin, and with a hood to cover her face. Close up a white blouse with long puff-sleeves, a black front laced bodice and a dark red skirt flowed down to her ankles. And carrying on her shoulder was a brown weave bag.

Rapunzel was ready to go with the two magpies until Caren came. The young boreal owl begged her not to do this and told Rapunzel what if Mrs. P and the others find out that she's gone.

But then Rapunzel said to Caren "Don't worry, it will be fine. I'll be with the magpies. I wanted to go explore the owl kingdoms. And besides, the sooner I'll go the sooner I'll get back to the Tree in time till everyone noticed first thing when the moon rise in tween time. If not, well then it will take me much longer."

Caren didn't like the idea but alas she willingly let Rapunzel go with Trader Mags. They both say their goodbyes and as the sun came up, all the owls flew into their hollows. Rapunzel climb up to the Bubble's back and the two magpies lifted off the ground, flying to the Sea of Hoolmere. The young boreal owl watched on, hoping her friend will return.


End file.
